mlc240z

i always say timing is everything. you just missed these. i was watching them and was going to bid on them as a 'just in case' part for the future. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7971005856&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

hell, i'd settle for a decent 1st gen ashtray lid. thought of trying this myself with a local plastic mfgr.

on the 72 camaro i owned many moons ago i routed a kill switch from ground to the + side of the coil. routed the wire so it looked stock and buried the switch. figured the worst i might find is a dead battery from overcranking. not the most elegant (i like the magnetic switch idea), but pretty simple and easy to do. hopefully just enough to make it enough of a pain in the arse to get the JOs to try another car.

that sucks bud. i'd rather be locked in a room with the dirtbag/s and get to beat the crap out of them myself. it's gotta give you SOME satisfaction. hope it was just some JO out for a joyride and they can find and return your baby intact. condolences

used Permatex black silicone adhesive/sealant about $5 per tube at parts store. probably get it a little cheaper at walmart,kmart etc. i used the small tube as opposed to the large caulking gun style because it was easier to maneuver, wasn't sure if i needed the extra (didn't want to waste it), and i could get a finer bead with the tip. apply adhesive, place corner, then use masking tape to secure until adhesive sets. if you are missing the little outer rubber on the channel to capture the trim (on my old weatherstrip they were worn off) you probably HAVE to use masking tape to secure.

just did whole hatch glass and weatherstrip. my corners were missing already. when i researched the corner trim attachment, i read that these are susceptible to falling off. it was recommended to use the adhesive just on the corners. sorry, can't remember exactly where i read it (i think Wick Humble's Restore book), but that's the way i attached mine. bart

a lot also depends on location. here in the northeast, even a rusted Z can fetch $4-6K if you can find them at all. west coast has a larger supply so from what i've seen the cost can be a lot cheaper for the same condition car. you will turn more heads out here tho, since you rarely see them on the road. cvp911t, post your location to get a more accurate price.

changed mine twice!!!!

hi all, just finished installing new rear hatch glass weatherstrip (after you do it once, you learn enough technique to do a million) and have a question???? when i pulled the dome light trim off and disconnected the rear window defogger connections, i found a ground strap buried in the trim. it is about 6" long, 1/2inch wide flat copper braided wire with 2 round eyelet ends. one end is screwed to the roof frame and the other is just crimped and dangling. it's too short to attach to the hinge and i don't REALLY think it is original since the screw is just slotted (not phillips or cad plated) which doesn't look oem but it looks old and weathered enough to be original. anybody remember seeing this on their cars? and if so where does it go? there is no OBVIOUS place to hook it up and just wondered if the PO had installed it as an additional ground for the defogger, hatch, or dome light. thanks, bart

carl, sounds like a 'decent' study. definitely interesting. i wonder how much of a difference it makes with 3k mile oil changes, but if i have the choice i'll probably look for mobil1 or purolator on sale. bart

i'm putting in an old dual shaft pioneer that i had saved from one of my old cars (i knew there was a reason i kept it). i am going to fashion a faceplate from either wood or a scrap piece of plastic. the only problem i'm having is the width of the replacement radio. it's appears to be too wide to fit the antenna switch next to it within the same space. from pictures i've seen, the original radio had a spot for the switch next to the radio. were they much thinner than aftermarket radios? has anybody else done this swap? if so, where did you mount the power antenna switch?

in case anyone's interested, RB20ET on eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33615&item=7969392347&rd=1

went out to my '71, the only single male wire coming from the left side is actually a white wire that has a black heat shrink sleeve on it. this attaches to a female white wire with a black plastic tubing surrounding it. from the wiring diagram this looks to be the line from the voltage regulator to the ammeter. i believe to confirm this you shouldn't get any reaction from your ammeter with key on. try gently pulling back the heat shrink to verify this is actually a white wire. the only other single wire (except for the thick white/red main feed in the center) i have on my fuse box is the blue/white going to the cig lighter. on mine this is also covered with black heat shrink tubing. hope this helps.

dogma, i agree. passion for the Z should drive you to find out as much info as you can, even if only as background. you have to do the HOMEWORK. i prefer to learn as much about a whole system as i can rather than individual pieces, since this helps to understand how part interact with each other. before i joined this site, i had read the forums for a month as research, hopefully to prevent dumbass posts. one thing though, questions are sometimes asked to clarify conflicting/wrong info previously read. on their face they might seem stupid or unresearched. also, i have learned that factory manual procedures are sometimes drawn out, and the experience of some of the guys here is invaluable to show shortcuts to getting parts fixed or replaced. if there's an easier way to do something, most times it's been done already by someone here. bart

http://www.zparts.com/ads/wheels/400/DCP_3062.jpg http://www.zparts.com/ads/wheels/ads/wfs-14.html could be these with rims repainted black???

dogma, i was under the impression from other posts that the 5spd swap or even the 4spd 'A' to 4spd 'B' into a 240 (regardless of series) always meant either nibbling the tunnel or getting the 'bent' shifter (nismo?). i have a later console if necessary so the shifter doesn't interfere with the console in 5th. if not, that's good news for me since i was a little queasy about cutting the tunnel even if only 1 1/2 inches. i have a 'B' i wanted to change out to get rid of the 'A' shift slop, and eventually want the 5spd. have you done this yourself?

Welcome aboard! I am relatively new to this site also, and I can tell you that you won't find a nicer bunch of guys than the people on this site. You don't find the BS you get on other sites, VERY helpful and Zsavvy. Most have 'been there and done that' so search the forums and you'll probably find your questions have already been answered. A good source for the braided lines is MSA. http://www.zcarparts.com/ All 4 for $70, about $65 for stock rubber at NAPA. Changed ignition to Pertronix internals and coil to keep stock distributor (very pleased) but the ZX upgrade is also a great option. Good luck with your new 'baby'. Bart

sorry, no help on the year but holy cow, that's one beautiful stock motor. how much did you pay for this engine if you don't mind me asking? i'd love to find gem like that ready to just drop in.

thanks weasel. just ripped it all out. definitely clears out a mess of wiring!!

sorry, just trying to keep it light because i know how frustrating these 'noises' can be when the problem isn't obvious. any luck yet tracking it down? could you have a piece of road debris jammed somewhere?

could be baseball card in the spokes....... Carl's probably right to check u-joints in halfshaft. could also be something as ordinary as a stone trapped in a tire tread. does it sound metallic or just a tapping dependent on speed?

Hi all, I have what I am assuming is an aftermarket cruise control mounted to the firewall. About a 4" can with a beaded chain going to the throttle linkage. Since I have a duplicate in my parts box from the PO's donor parts car, I thought it might have been a dealer installed option or just a popular '70s addon. As far as I can tell it is no longer connected to the electrical system. The wiring goes thru the firewall and ends in a tangle under the glove box. I plan on ripping it all out since I vaguely remember (yeah, I'm that old) they weren't that great, the controls don't look stock, and I never plan on using cruise anyway. There are also 2 wires going to the front of the engine to what looks like a sensor mounted to the lower timing cover. It is under the distributor and close to the crank pulley. I assume it is part of the speed control to sense engine rpm. So............... Anybody else have this on their cars? Am I right about the sensor? Is it needed for anything else? Is there anything else I should be on the lookout for when I disconnect the cruise beyond the expected connections (brake switch, power etc.)? Thanks again for letting me tap the Z think tank. Bart

welding a nut sounds like the best course. i have an old 6" pipe wrench that has saved my butt more times than i can remember. the hardened jaws dig into anything and have backed out a lot of broken bolts, rounded nuts and mashed studs after a good soaking. i find it works much better than vise grips. pay the extra money and get a good quality wrench since the cheap ones have softer jaws. OLD wrenches bought at a flea market seem to work better than some newer ones.

it's a longshot but if everything else has been checked: not for a definite suspension clunk but for the acceleration clunk, have you looked at your engine mounts? i had an older buick that would clunk under acceleration and it turned out to be a motor mount. it was an automatic and fairly easy to check. i opened the hood, stood on brakes, put it in drive and just lightly blipped the gas. if mount is torn, you will visibly see the engine tip up on the bad side. put into reverse to test the opposite side. it's a little more difficult with a stick. either grow another leg, or be prepared to slightly abuse your clutch. same procedure, but you'll probably have to just pop the clutch and let the engine die. it should be enough to allow you to see more movement than is acceptable and might reproduce the clunk. just a wild shot, but if everything else in the rear of the drivetrain is eliminated...........

newspaper is an old trick. when i first heard it i didn't see how it would make a difference, but i understand it has something to do with the ink in the newsprint that helps to keep it streak-free. new cars can get a residue on inside of windshields from the outgassing of all the new plastic and vinyl in the interior. i get a film from cigarette smoke. as long as it's not an oily antifreeze film from a leaky heater core, it should be just another maintenance chore. by the way, MEK? methyl ethyl ketone?